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Gravel’s biggest pro is its cost-effectiveness. For example, a gravel road or driveway is much more affordable than its asphalt counterpart. Gravel is also much less expensive than the cost of pouring a concrete slab if you’re building a patio or similar structure.

However, regarding comfort and convenience, gravel is far less foot-friendly than smoother substances like concrete or asphalt. It’s also more of a challenge to drive on and may kick up dust, resulting in the inevitable need for extra car washes. Lastly, there’s a chance it might move with rain or snow.

A gravel driveway costs from $1.25 to $1.80 per square foot, including materials and installation. Cost factors for this project include the type of gravel, its thickness, and the amount of site preparation required.

Consider these cost estimates for a 20-foot-long driveway:

• 1-car (240 square feet): $300–$432

• 2-car (480 square feet): $600–$864

• 4-car (960 square feet): $1,200–$1,728

Here are gravel driveways costs for a 50-foot-long driveway:

• 1-car (600 square feet): $750–$1,080

• 2-car (1,200 square feet): $1,500–$2,160

• 4-car (2,400 square feet): $3,000–$4,320

The best way to landscape your front yard on a budget is to invest in hiring a professional for hardscaping—things like upgrading walkways, redoing driveways, and installing partitions around garden beds. You can often do the softscaping yourself—think laying down mulch, caring for your lawn, removing weeds, and planting flowers and shrubs. It’s also almost always worthwhile to pay a professional for routine yard maintenance, as this dramatically improves curb appeal and delivers above 100% ROI in most cases.

While they’re popular and have a lot of pros, the cons of river rocks include the following:

• River rocks don’t break down or provide nutrients to plants. 

• These stones can get hot and scorch nearby plants. 

• River stones may heat the surrounding soil to inhospitable temperatures. 

• Rocks can block rainwater from seeping into the ground if installations are too thick or tightly packed.

Most downsides occur when using river rock as mulch in gardens and flower beds. However, you can still incorporate river rocks into your landscape as long as you use them in the correct ways.